The Bonneville Power Administration, the region’s largest transmission grid operator, has retained some workers originally set to be fired under President Donald Trump’s federal cutbacks.
But that means the agency still will lose about 420 workers — about 13% of its workforce of 3,100 — and does little to quiet concerns about regional power outages with fewer BPA employees to operate the grid.
About 125 workers are taking the Trump administration buyouts, 105 are retiring early, 100 probationary workers got fired and BPA rescinded 90 new job offers, according to agency insiders.
That’s down from the 600 workers initially expected to be fired or take the buyout in mid-February.
Experts in Oregon said the number of essential workers such as dispatchers and schedulers leaving the agency is still too high and could undermine BPA’s ability to run the grid and lead to blackouts in the region.
BPA, part of the U.S. Department of Energy, owns and operates 15,000 miles – 75% – of the Northwest’s high-voltage transmission lines. It markets hydropower from 31 federal dams in the Columbia River Basin and supplies a third of Northwest electricity.
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